The Building Blocks of Matter

Front

Particle Accelerator Noun

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[par-ti-kuhl ak-sel-uh-rey-ter]

Back

Particle Accelerator

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A device using electric or magnetic fields to accelerate charged particles to very high speeds and energies for research.

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Example: This diagram shows a linear particle accelerator where a particle source emits particles that are sped up by alternating electric fields between electrodes, eventually hitting a target.

Front

Linear Accelerator Noun

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[lin-ee-er ak-sel-uh-rey-ter]

Back

Linear Accelerator

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A type of particle accelerator that propels charged particles along a straight path through a series of hollow tubes.

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Example: A particle is accelerated in a straight line through a series of tubes (electrodes) with alternating electric charges, gaining speed until it hits a target.

Front

Synchrotron Noun

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[sing-kruh-tron]

Back

Synchrotron

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A circular particle accelerator where magnetic field strength increases with particle energy to maintain a fixed circular path.

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Example: This diagram shows a synchrotron, a machine that uses magnets to steer beams of particles along a circular path, accelerating them to high speeds for experiments.

Front

Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Noun

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[lahrj had-ron kuh-lahy-der]

Back

Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

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The world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator, a 27-kilometer circumference synchrotron located at CERN in Switzerland.

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Example: This diagram shows how the Large Hadron Collider works. Particles (black dots) are kept moving in a circle by a force (red arrows) pulling them inward.

Front

Particle Detector Noun

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[par-ti-kuhl di-tek-ter]

Back

Particle Detector

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A device used to detect, track, and identify subatomic particles by observing their interactions with matter after collisions.

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Example: A particle detector works when an incoming radiation particle passes through an electric field, creating ions and electrons that move to generate a measurable current.

Front

Geiger-Müller tube Noun

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[gahy-ger myoo-ler toob]

Back

Geiger-Müller tube

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A gas-filled device that detects ionizing radiation by creating a current pulse when a particle ionizes the gas inside.

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Example: This diagram shows how a Geiger-Müller tube works. Ionizing radiation enters the tube, strikes a gas atom, and creates an electrical signal.

Front

Bubble chamber Noun

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[buhb-uhl cheym-ber]

Back

Bubble chamber

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A particle detector containing a superheated liquid where charged particles leave a visible trail of bubbles, revealing their path.

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Example: This diagram shows the setup of a simple bubble chamber, using warm alcohol vapor and cold dry ice to create a supersaturated state to detect particles.

Front

Wire chamber Noun

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[wahy-er cheym-ber]

Back

Wire chamber

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A detector that records a particle's path by sensing the electrical discharge it creates in a gas-filled chamber.

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Example: This diagram shows a wire chamber's basic parts: anode wires between two cathode planes. An incoming particle's path is detected by the wires.

Front

Solid-state detector Noun

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[sol-id steyt di-tek-ter]

Back

Solid-state detector

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A particle detector that uses the ionization of particles within a solid semiconductor material to track their positions.

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Example: An incoming particle of radiation hits a special solid material, creating a tiny electrical signal (an electron and a hole) that can be detected.

Front

Muon Noun

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[myoo-on]

Back

Muon

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An elementary particle belonging to the lepton family, similar to an electron but with a much greater mass.

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Example: This diagram shows how a muon is created when a high-energy proton from space hits the atmosphere, producing other particles that decay into muons.